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Mechanic's creeperRelated Patent Categories: Land Vehicles, Wheeled, With Worker's Support Or Shade, Repairman's CreepersMechanic's creeper description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060186619, Mechanic's creeper. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority on U.S. provisional application No. 60/647,025, filed on Jan. 27, 2005, herein incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to creepers and, more specifically, to creepers for use in manoeuvring under an object such as a motor vehicle. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Creepers for use in working or manoeuvring beneath automobiles, trucks and other such motor vehicles are well known and have been used by the novice and professional automobile mechanic for years. Such known creepers, as exemplarily illustrated by the creeper 2 in FIG. 1, are generally comprised of a framework 4 to which is mounted a substantially flat body support surface 6 upon which a user may rest his head and/or back, and a set of wheels or casters 8 allowing the creeper to be displaced below a vehicle (not shown). [0004] However, it has been found that the common creeper design does not provide for a safe work environment. For instance, when using a creeper to work under a vehicle, which is generally raised on jacks or jack stands, a mechanic generally lays flat on the creeper to roll himself under the vehicle. Since common creepers do not provide any type of body or head protection for the mechanic working underneath the raised vehicle, the mechanic is generally vulnerable to severe injury in the event the vehicle should fall from its raised position. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] In order to address the above and other drawbacks of known creepers, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a creeper adapted to provide protection to a user thereof from a falling object. [0006] More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a creeper for protecting a user in a supine position when manoeuvring under a raised object, the creeper comprising a support structure comprising a frame and a user support surface, and a safety structure coupled to the frame, the safety structure comprising at least one upwardly projecting rigid element defining a protective space above at least a portion of the support surface. [0007] Still in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a creeper for protecting a user in a supine position when manoeuvring under a raised object, the creeper comprising a user support surface and a safety structure, the safety structure comprising at least one upwardly projecting head protective element disposed towards a first longitudinal end of the surface and at least one upwardly projecting body protective element disposed towards a second longitudinal end of the surface, the protective elements defining a protective space above at least a portion of the surface. The at least one head protective element and the at least one body protective element are longitudinally spaced apart and define a longitudinal space therebetween, thereby providing the user substantially unobstructed access to the object from the surface within the longitudinal space. [0008] Still further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a creeper for protecting a user in a supine position when manoeuvring under a raised object, the creeper comprising a user support surface, displacement means, load-absorbing means and a safety structure, the safety structure comprising at least one upwardly projecting rigid element defining a protective space above at least a portion of the surface. The displacement means are structurally coupled to the safety structure via the load-absorbing means such that, when the safety structure is subjected to the weight of the object, the load-absorbing means retracts the displacement means relative to the surface. [0009] Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following nonrestrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration, illustrative embodiments of the present invention, and in which: [0011] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a known creeper; [0012] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a creeper in accordance with a first illustrative embodiment of the present invention; [0013] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the creeper of FIG. 2 illustrating an ergonomics thereof; [0014] FIG. 4A is a schematic front side view of a first optional load-absorbing mechanism usable with the creeper of FIG. 2 in accordance with a first optional modification thereof; [0015] FIG. 4B is a schematic front side view of a second optional load-absorbing mechanism usable with the creeper of FIG. 2 in accordance with a second optional modification thereof; [0016] FIG. 4C is a schematic front side view of a third optional load-absorbing mechanism usable with the creeper of FIG. 2 in accordance with a third optional modification thereof; [0017] FIGS. 4D and 4E are respective schematic front side and exploded perspective views of a fourth optional load-absorbing mechanism usable with the creeper of FIG. 2 in accordance with a fourth optional modification thereof; [0018] FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the creeper of FIG. 2, optionally provided with a retractable visor, utility boxes and a work light; [0019] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a creeper adjustable between an creeper position and a work bench position in accordance with a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention; dashed lines illustrate the creeper when in the creeper position while solid lines illustrate the adjustable creeper when partially adjusted into a folded position; Continue reading about Mechanic's creeper... Full patent description for Mechanic's creeper Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Mechanic's creeper patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Mechanic's creeper or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Snow gliding board with upper decorative and protective element Next Patent Application: Rear gate assembly for shopping cart Industry Class: Land vehicles ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Mechanic's creeper patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.33743 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Electronics: Semiconductor , Audio , Illumination , Connectors , Crypto , 174 |
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